Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has stressed the protection of human and labour rights as the working conditions and the labour market is going through fundamental changes globally, creating new challenges and opportunities.

She also put emphasis on effective dialogue between all the stakeholders in industrial relations as such dialogue is critical to stability and ensuring labour rights.

The Prime Minister said this in her statement at a high-level follow-up meeting on Global Deal held at the UN Headquarters here on Monday with Swedish Prime Minister Stephan Lofven in the chair.

Renewing her government's commitment to protect human and labour rights, Sheikh Hasina said the protection of labour rights is an integral part of the economy and society.

About the environment at workplaces in Bangladesh, she said her government has brought pro-labour changes in labour relations and such advances have contributed towards uplifting the working condition there.

The Prime Minister said her government believes that if the overall socio-economic development is ensured, it will eventually enhance decent jobs and labour rights.

Besides, she mentioned, the economic growth and social development enhance the productivity of a workforce, while skill development is central to productivity.

On skill development, the Prime Minister said her government has taken a number of pragmatic programmes to enhance the overall productivity through coordination among all the ongoing skill development activities under Bangladesh's 22 ministries and divisions.

Mentioning that the Global Deal's aim is also to generate inclusive growth, Hasina said it seeks to offer a win-win opportunity for all the stakeholders in the labour market.

She said her government has started implementing the 'Better Work Programme' and undertaken massive training programmes under the 'Social Dialogue and Harmonious Industrial Relations project'.

The 'Tripartite Consultative Council' dedicated to addressing the RMG sector labour issues has been established to support social dialogue in Bangladesh's labour sector for achieving harmonious industrial relations.

Hasina said, "Labour union representatives and employers and government representatives now come together to discuss various issues of [mutual] interest where the government plays the facilitator's role."

Due to various pro-development actions taken by the government, she said, the per capita income of the country's citizens has almost tripled over the last nine years, while there has been a marked achievement in poverty alleviation.

"My government has been strengthening democracy in Bangladesh for the last nine years and its relentless efforts have also been successful in achieving tremendous economic and social progress," she said.

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